It's the talent, stupid.

That's not me talking. That's Lou Musante, the Pittsburgh consultant who's getting paid to give this community the once-over.

Musante has been on the job since early this year, looking at what Orlando can do to get more of those high-earning, creative types -- the talent -- that help areas prosper.

He's among those who think that having this sort of worker is vital to a strong business community.

So the question is: How do you draw these people to town? How do you keep the ones already here happy?

As it happens, providing them jobs is only part of the answer. The region also has to be the type of area they want to live in.

"The quality of the place is of equal importance," Musante said Tuesday. "The old way was jobs only. But now people realize that jobs are just half the story."

That might not seem earth shattering. But for years, communities like Orlando have looked at economic development as a numbers game -- paying incentives to new businesses that moved in and created jobs.

Clearly, there's more to it. Musante surveyed local film and entertainment-technology workers -- one segment of the creative group -- and 94 percent said having a job was one of the keys to deciding where they would live.

But within just a few percentage points -- so close, in fact, as to be a statistical dead heat -- they also listed the beauty of the area, the availability of cultural opportunities and even the quality of the air as important factors.

"You need a thick labor market," Musante said, "but you also need quality of place."

If you buy what Musante is selling, as I do, then it's tough not to agree with the steps the Orange County Commission took on Tuesday.

Commissioners gave the OK to increasing the resort tax on hotel rooms. The extra money will be used for tourism marketing and to help finance a performing arts center, a new arena and improvements to the Citrus Bowl.

None of those big-box projects were mentioned in Musante's report. But a new arts center and, to a lesser degree a new arena, will surely bring more events and concerts here -- the cultural amenities that workers wanted.

And collectively the projects will help make the community a more desirable place to live.

Creative workers need other things, too, Musante said. He's recommending establishing a "greenhouse" to provide studio space for artists, as well as an incubator for entertainment technologies.

Musante's final report will be completed later this summer. It cost $90,000, paid for by the EDC, the University of Central Florida and United Arts of Central Florida. He zeroed in on the entertainment workers -- actors, lighting experts or people creating video games.

The EDC wants to determine the strength of that industry -- Musante found about 8,300 jobs and 317 businesses. The survey I saw drew from a sample of more than 400 people.

But the results of his study can be extended to suggest any sort of creative worker.

And for communities like Orlando, the message is clear: It's all about the talent, and the talent wants a quality place to live.